My Eyes, Her Eyes
by someonestolemycookies
Summary: [UNDERGOING CONSTRUCTION] Hermione disappeared after 3 years of living with Harry. 7 years later, a note arrives informing Harry that full parental control has been transferred to him, for a son he never knew he had.
1. Chapter 1

**My Eyes, Her Eyes**

**(a/n: this is my first ever Harry Potter Fanfic… ) I hope everyone likes it… Don't forget to review… **

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or any other characters in the book, if I did, things would have ended very differently and the story probably wouldn't sell as much… xD)**

"Harry, mate, are you sure about this?"

"Of course I am, Ron!" the man named Harry replied as he gazed intently on the building before them.

"Well, I would be a little weirded out, if I was about to meet a kid I never knew I had." Ron replied to him in an offhand manner.

"Well, we're here now anyway."

"Why do you think she never told you?" Ron asked.

"I don't know… we never really talked much before she left." Harry replied as he tried to straighten out his tie.

"Figures…" Ron muttered.

"Well, it's now or never." And without giving himself time to back down, Harry boldly entered through the glass doors.

"How may I help you?" the receptionist said without looking up.

"Yes, I'm here to pick someone up. The child would be registered under the name Granger." Harry said quickly, wanting the wait to be over soon.

"Ah yes… Room 216, first door on the hall to your left." She replied after running her finger down a log book.

Harry frowned as he waited for her to say something else.

"Excuse me, but don't I need to fill up papers or show identification of some sort?" he asked her bewilderedly.

"No, you seem to fit her description alright. Green eyes, untidy jet black hair around 6'1"…" she said monotonously.

Harry nodded and proceeded to walk down the hall she pointed towards.

"Wait, the lady who dropped him off told me to give this to you." She said hurrying to retrieve something under her desk. She passed him a box, much the size of a shoebox.

"Thanks, erm, did she mention the boy's name before she left?" he said cautiously.

"Yes, Sirius James. An odd name if you ask me." She said turning her back and attending to a couple who had just walked in.

Harry couldn't believe his ears when he heard what she had said.

"Mate, what's wrong?" Ron asked hurrying over from where he had been sitting.

"She named him…"

"What? What's wrong with the kid's name?!" Ron said frantically.

"Nothing! She named him after Sirius and my dad…" Harry said, his voice shaking.

"Oh… you aren't about to breakdown again, are you?" Ron asked him concernedly. "We can do this some other time."

"No, we've got to do it now… he's waited long enough to meet me." Harry said in a final sort of voice.

"Alright, you go on then. I'll be waiting right here. You guys probably need to talk for a few… just signal if you need me." Ron said his fingers forming an "O" to indicate he meant the fake galleons.

Harry nodded as he walked towards the first door to his right. Before he even knocked he found himself staring into the green eyes of a little boy.

"Hi! Come on in." the little boy said brightly, gesturing to the big chair beside a small bed.

Harry quickly sat down on the chair and watched the little boy as he closed the door and turned to look at him, as if trying to read him.

"So," he said in a business-like manner, "Are you my dad?"

Harry found his voice had failed him; it was as if a silencing charm was cast upon him. So instead of saying yes, he nodded and put a welcoming smile on his lips.

"Mum said you would come around this time…" the boy said as he went over and sat in front of Harry. "I'm James by the way, Sirius James. Mum said you probably wouldn't know my name."

"Hello, James." Harry said giving in to the temptation to ruffle James' hair.

James smiled brightly up at him.

"Listen, I know that you don't know me very well yet," emphasizing the word yet, Harry continued as he sat down on the floor facing James. "But you're going to be living with me now, and I hope you can forgive for not being there for you and Mio—your mum."

"It's alright, dad. Mum said she never told you about me." James replied nonchalantly.

Harry felt a great swooping sensation in his stomach, like when he first rode a broomstick, when James said the word 'dad' he couldn't help but to pull James into a big hug. He felt even more elated when James hugged him back.

After a few minutes Harry finally let go and straightened himself up.

"Well, James, I think it's time you pack up your stuff… We'll be leaving soon." Harry said helping James stand up.

"Okay, dad?" James said tentatively.

"Yes, James?"

"Can I show you something I can do?" James said, sounding a little scared.

"Of course you can, son." Harry said bewildered at the tone of his son's voice.

"And you'll still take me home with you?" James said even more nervously now.

"Sirius James," Harry said in a serious tone, "Nothing in this whole world could make me not want to take you home with me."

"Alright, but you promised!" James said.

Suddenly, all the clothes and books flew into an open suitcase and proceeded to pile themselves in an orderly manner.

James looked nervously towards Harry once the suitcase snapped itself shut. Then his look of fear quickly turned into a look of confusion as Harry broke into a grin.

"Son, you've inherited your mother's organizational skills." Harry said as he strode over and opened the suitcase to inspect the neatness of the things inside.

"How come you're not surprised?" James asked.

"Because, I'm your father and Hermione was your mother." Harry said simply taking out his wand.

James eyes opened in wonder and amazement as Harry proceeded to make all James' toys fly into a box that wasn't there before.

"I'll explain on the way home, alright?" Harry said lightly as he picked up the suitcase and made the box disappear when he muttered the word 'Evanesco'.

James nodded meekly as he took the hand his father offered to him.

James watched his dad frown as he scanned the lobby.

"Where has your Uncle Ron gotten to?" he wondered aloud.

"Uncle Ron?! Mum mentioned him, she said the three of you were the best of mates, and he was on the same team as you were. And that you three went to the same school, and you guys had amazing adventures together!" James said, all in one breath.

Harry laughed and said, "You've got your mum's memory too! Well, that suits up nicely since I can't even seem to recall where I was yesterday afternoon."

James smiled somewhat smugly which reminded Harry of his dad.

"Harry! Was just at the loo… aaah, you must be Sirius James or is it James Sirius?" Ron said striding over to them.

"Sirius James," James said shaking Ron's hand and smiling up at him.

"Well, we best be going. Shall we?" Harry said after exchanging a knowing look with Ron.

"But what about my friends?" James said suddenly. "I haven't said goodbye yet!"

"Right-o, son." Harry said smacking his forehead and leading his son by the hand towards a play area near the front part of the lobby.

"Hey guys, I'm going now." James said in a shaky voice.

The two girls and the single boy looked up with shock written all over their faces. A split second later, they had all tangled themselves up in an enormous hug.

"Take care of yourself!" said a girl who had pale blond hair with red streaks.

"Don't forget about us ok?" said the boy, as he punched James' arm.

"Promise to write to us, and call?" said the second girl, she had brown hair and big blue eyes that were filled with tears.

"I will, you guys are my best friends forever!" he said wiping away the tears that formed in his eyes.

"James, it's time to go…" Harry said, hating himself for breaking up their little moment.

"Alright, dad. Bye guys, I'll miss you!" James said waving to his friends before finally walking out into the sunshine with his new dad.


	2. Chapter 2

**My Eyes, Her Eyes**

**(a/n: thanks to all those who reviewed!**

**Mikaela**

**Purple- no Hermione is not dead in this story… ) she's just, not present at the moment…**

**smitty fields****-thanks!**

**Fancyfree-thanks, I worked really hard on it… xD**

**SwishAndFlick31-actually Hermione has been gone for a couple of years now, this happens around 10 years after DH… xD**

**DISCLAIMER:**** I do not own Harry Potter, but you probably wouldn't like it as much if I did… xD)**

"_Harry, where in the world are you?" Hermione shrieked frantically through the phone._

"_I told you, Mione! I'm in Albania on a case… it's been rumored that hags and werewolves have been showing up, Inferi spottings were mentioned too." Harry replied tiredly._

"_Another case?" Hermione said trying not to let her voice crack._

"_Yes, I'll be home by this Thursday alright?" Harry said in a relieved voice._

"_Thursday?! But what about the dinner we agreed to got to? Luna and Ron are expecting us to be there." Hermione said exasperatedly._

"_Fine, we'll drop in and then I'll apparate back here, but that means I'll be coming home on Friday." Harry replied._

"_Alright, be here before 6pm won't you? I don't want you to get there looking like you've been chasing hags and werewolves." Hermione said biting her lip, hoping she wasn't pushing her luck._

"_Yes, ma'am! Listen Mione, I've got to go. I love you!" Harry said in a quick voice._

"_I love you, too! Don't work yourself too---" the line went dead._

_Hermione sighed as she put her phone down, she looked at the romantic dinner she had set up for the two of them. Her shoulders sagging even lower she muttered a spell that put the dining room back in its usual order._

_Exactly three years had passed since the war. She had been living with Harry for about three years now, too; they had been engaged for six months. And she had been waiting for three years for the two of them to settle down and live the quiet life they both deserved. But Harry would not, no, could not stop until the last supporters of Voldemort had been caught and imprisoned._

"_I wonder if he's even noticed," she thought as she examined herself in the mirror. She looked down at her belly, noting that it was growing, in fact it had been growing for a good two weeks now._

"_Maybe you should tell him." Said a female voice from behind her._

"_Ginny, he's way too busy to be dealing with this right now!" Hermione said turning to face the girl currently seated at the foot of her and Harry's bed._

"_Too busy to know his fiancé is pregnant?!" Ginny said in a frustrated voice._

"_You didn't tell Draco you were pregnant for three months!" Hermione argued._

"_But we were already married then!" Ginny snapped back._

"_What difference does it make?" Hermione said angrily._

"_A big one. Harry needs to know! He's been wanting to have a whole family since forever, you know what it means to him." Ginny said lowering her voice._

"_I know but I'd rather not tell him on the phone. Not when he's out there hunting down who knows what!" Hermione said also lowering his voice._

"_Tell him this Wednesday then." Ginny said in a no nonsense voice._

"_Fine, but it'll be me who tells him. No hints at all during dinner." Hermione said giving in to her red haired friend._

"_Deal, well I'd better get going, Scorpius must be driving Draco up the wall right now. Neville just bought him his first ever broomstick!" Ginny said prancing out of the room._

"_Alright, by Ginny! Take care of yourself!" Hermione said cheerfully._

"_You, are one to talk!" Ginny said playfully. "Just kidding Hermione! Bye!"_

_Hermione smiled as she watched her friend twist and disapparate. She took one last look at her belly before changing into one of Harry's shirts and falling asleep._

_WEDNESDAY_

"_Hello, Hermione Granger speaking."_

"_Hermione, it's me. Listen I can't leave just yet, just go ahead without me. I'll be there around eight, alright?" Harry said._

"_What?! Oh alright, just be there okay?" Hermione said seeing the pointlessness of arguing._

"_I will, I promise!" Harry replied._

_They exchanged 'I love you's' and hung up._

_Hermione looked at the clock on Ron and Luna's mantelpiece, it read half past twelve._

"_Well, I'd better get going." Hermione said in a bracing sort of voice._

"_Hermione, I'm sure he'll show up, he's probably just having a hard time finding the house." Ron said grabbing hold of her hand._

"_Ron, you and Draco have scoured the neighborhood for ours, even flew over it to make sure. Besides, I doubt another hour will make a difference." Hermione said in a final sort of way._

"_Look, if you could just wait for a couple more minutes—"_

"_I'm done waiting for him, Gin. I give up." Hermione said twisting around and apparating to Grimmauld Place._

_Hermione woke up to the sound of someone breathing beside her. She didn't need to turn around to know who it was._

_She stood up and fixed up a pot of coffee. It all seemed so surreal. After last night Hermione just felt so depressed, all she kept thinking as she tried to fall asleep was that he promised._

"_Good morning."_

_Hermione turned around to see Harry, fidgeting uncomfortably, standing at the doorway of the kitchen. _

"_Good morning." She replied before turning back to the coffee pot._

"_Mione, I'm so sorry about last night. We had finally found out what they were doing, they needed me there… I'm sorry. It'll never happen again!" Harry said turning Hermione around and kneeling in front of her._

_He looked up at her and gazed into her brown gold speckled eyes. "Please forgive me." He said._

"_It's alright, Harry. You had a job to do." Hermione said smiling down at him._

_Harry couldn't help but notice that something other than her smile was different._

"_Mione, stop." He said standing up._

"_Stop what, Harry?" she said innocently._

"_You're acting as if everything is ok when it's not." He said frowning._

"_No I'm not. Harry, I forgive you, it's fine, let's move on with our lives." Hermione said in a final sort of way, she threw him another one of her weird smiles and poured the both of them a cup of coffee._

"_What have you been up to the last couple of days? Ron said he and Luna hardly even saw you before last night?" Harry said, trying to strike up a conversation._

"_Oh, I've been keeping myself busy." Hermione replied in a voice that required no further questions._

"_Oh…" was all Harry dared reply._

_The days following that morning Harry got so caught up in the paper work of his last assignment that he barely spent time at home. He would sleep, eat breakfast then head off to work. Sometimes he would arrive just before the crack of dawn. Strangely enough, Hermione didn't seem to mind, the only thing that had changed was that she never called him at work anymore and she never waited up for him to get home._

_A month had passed and Harry got caught up in another case, everything seemed surreal around Hermione, it was like she was there but not really. He didn't really mind because she seemed happy, he was even getting used to the routine of waking up and arriving home to her sleeping. Reality slapped him on the face when he came home on the 24__th__ to find a sobbing Kreacher on the floor with a note in his hand._

"_Kreacher, what's wrong?!" Harry asked kneeling next to him._

"_It's master's betrothed!" sobbed Kreacher, "she is gone!"_

"_Gone?! What do you mean gone?" Harry said, dreading the answer._

"_S-she left t-t-today, and n-never came back. Kreacher is so sorry, master!" Kreacher said._

"_She's gone." Harry said, more to himself than anyone else. "Well, how do you know she's gone? She might be at Ron's or Ginny's place!"_

"_K-kreacher saw Mrs. Ginny… looking for Master's b-b-betrothed." Kreacher managed to gasp out in between sobs. "Mi-mistress, left t-this on t-the m-m-mantle…"_

_Harry grabbed the note and broke down when he read what was written._

'_Harry,_

_I gotta say what's on my mind_

_Something about us_

_doesn't seem right these days_

_life keeps getting in the way_

_Whenever we try, somehow the plan_

_is always rearranged_

_It's so hard to say_

_But I've gotta do what's best for me_

_You'll be ok.._

_I've got to move on and be who I am_

_I just don't belong here_

_I hope you understand_

_We might find our place in this_

_world someday_

_But at least for now_

_I gotta go my own way_

_Don't wanna leave it all behind_

_But I get my hopes up_

_and I watch them fall everytime_

_Another color turns to grey_

_and it's just too hard to watch it all_

_slowly fade away_

_I'm leaving today 'cause I've_

_gotta do what's best for me_

_you'll be ok… _

_With Love,_

_Hermione'_

_Attached to the letter was the diamond engagement ring Harry had given her exactly 7 months ago. _

**(a/n: end of chapter! xD I hope you liked it… the 'letter' was actually the lyrics from a HSM 2 song, Gotta Go My Own Way. I hope everything's starting to make sense! Don't forget to review!)**


	3. Chapter 3

**My Eyes, Her Eyes**

**(a/n: sorry for the late update…. :) I didn't know my senior year would be so hectic! **

**DISCLAIMER: As much as I would like to own Harry Potter, reality is a bitch, ergo no money and fame for me. :( sad huh?)**

"Dad, where's Hogwarts?" James asked as Harry gave him the grand tour of Grimmauld Place.

"Well," started Harry as he led James to the kitchen for a snack. "It's kind of hard to say."

"Then how do you get there?"

"You take the Hogwarts Express, or you can take the Knight Bus to Hogsmeade and walk." Harry explained.

"Is it really super big?" James asked before Harry even finished explaining.

"Very, it's a sort of castle and the grounds are huge." Harry said, amused by his son's curiosity.

"Cool! When can I go?" James asked enthusiastically taking big bites of his peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"When you're eleven, and I know it's such a long time to wait, but it's really worth it." Harry said, seeing the disappointed look on James's face.

"I bet mom would let me." James said slyly.

"I think your mother would agree with me on this one." Harry said, his stomach giving a small lurch when James mentioned Hermione.

Seeing there was no way to win his dad over James went back to devouring his sandwich as well as a bit of Harry's.

"Hungry, aren't you?" Harry said amusedly.

James nodded and beamed at Harry.

"Mom never really let me eat peanut butter and jelly unless I begged; she said it wasn't very healthy." James said.

"So, where did you live?" Harry asked.

"Mom said not to tell you." James said in a small voice, not looking at Harry directly in the eye for the first time since they met.

"Son, it's okay. I understand there are things your mother didn't want you to tell me." Harry said patting James on the head, "Kreacher!"

A loud snap was heard and Kreacher materialized out of thin air in the middle of the kitchen.

James let out a surprised yelp as he took in Kreacher's sudden appearance and his looks; Kreacher however did nothing but give Harry a bow and gaze politely at James.

"James, relax. This is Kreacher, he's our house elf. He helps around the house and other things." Harry explained. "Kreacher, this is James, he's my son."

"Kreacher is honored to meet the offspring of his master." Kreacher said giving James a bow and smiling at him before frowning at Harry. "But, master, Mistress Hermione is not here…"

"Yes, well, it turns out when she left she was pregnant." Harry said frankly. Kreacher's eyes widened as he took this bit of information in.

"Kreacher is sorry for bringing back the memory, sir." Kreacher said as he bowed again to both Harry and James.

"It's alright, Kreacher, just when I'm at work could you take care of him?"

"Kreacher will do anything to make comfortable Little Master James." Kreacher said.

Before Harry knew what was happening James walked towards Kreacher and extended his hand politely. "You don't have to call me little master, if you don't want to."

Kreacher grabbed James's hand and proceeded to sob noisily on the floor. "Such---k-k-kindness r—rem—mi---inds me of M-m-mistress Hermione" he wailed. James looked alarmed but nevertheless he patted Kreacher consolingly on the back while Harry beamed at the pair of them.

After a while Kreacher's sobs subsided and he let go of James's hand and excused himself.

"Kreacher will make you and Master Harry a big dinner!" Kreacher said enthusiastically. "Perhaps, Master Harry, you should invite the Order so the food will not be wasted." He suggested as he shooed them from the kitchen.

Harry nodded to Kreacher in appreciation and led James to his new bedroom so he could unpack.

"I like him." James said as Harry helped him unpack.

"I thought you would, let me tell you though, Kreacher and I weren't very fond of each other when we first met." Harry said as he sorted James's things into piles.

"Really?! But he seems to like you now." James said re-sorting whatever Harry sorted.

"Let's just say we understand each other now." Harry said as he watched James put his belongings in order.

Harry continued to sit there watching his son scurry around the room when he noticed James took out a picture of Hermione and put it on his bed stand.

"You miss her, don't you?" Harry asked as James wiped the picture frame.

"Yeah… she said she would come to visit me but I haven't seen her since she left me at that old place." James said sadly, his eyes brimming with tears. Harry reached out to him and James launched himself onto Harry and cried.

"Mom told me not to cry." He said in between sobs.

"Shhh, don't worry, it's okay. I cried too when she left me." Harry said, a lump forming in his throat.

Harry waited until James quieted down before loosening his grip and looking at him, James had fallen asleep, clutching Harry's shirt. Harry chuckled at his son's strong hold. After finally getting his shirt free from his son's vise-like grip he tucked him in and walked to the door.

"Good night, son." Harry said stealing a final glance towards James and turning off the light.

The doorbell rang at exactly seven o' clock that evening just as Harry convinced a disgruntled James into washing up before dinner.

"Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, I'm so glad you could come!" Harry said enveloping Mrs. Weasley in a hug and shaking Mr. Weasley's hand.

"Where is he?" Mrs. Weasley asked immediately after Harry finished taking their traveling cloaks.

"He's upstairs, washing up. Let's go wait for him in the dining room." Harry said leading the way.

Just as they got to the dining room the doorbell rang again and Harry excused himself while Mrs. Weasley tried to coax some recipes out of Kreacher.

"Draco? Ginny?" Harry said surprised. "I thought you were vacationing in the Caribbean?"

"How could we miss out on this?" Ginny said practically throwing her coat to Harry.

"Disapparated the moment we heard!" Draco said giving Harry a friendly punch on the arm. "Well, I went side-along as my _lovely _wife practically dragged me by ear to start packing the moment we got your owl." Draco said as soon as Ginny was out of hearing distance.

"I'm going to tell mommy you said that!" proclaimed a red haired two-year old girl.

"Now, princess, why would you do that?" Draco said picking her up and tickling her.

"Hi Uncle Harry!" a young blond boy said waving to Harry.

"Hey, Scorpius!" Harry said giving Scorpius's hair a quick ruffle.

"Hi, Harry!" Ron said waltzing out of the dining room, a piece of bread in his hand.

Harry shook his head at Ron's familiarity.

"Where's Luna?" he asked leading them all to the dining room where Ginny and Mrs. Weasely were waiting for them impatiently.

"Junior's got a bad cold." Ron said taking a seat next to Harry.

"That's too bad." Harry said. "I'm going to check what's keeping James. Ron, you man the door for Teddy and the rest." He said as he saw the irritated looks Ginny and her mother were throwing at him.

When Harry finally got James to open the door he saw that his son was trying to desperately flatten his hair.

"Son, I've been trying that for ages, don't even bother." Harry said, chuckling.

After giving a last attempt James finally allowed Harry to frog march him into the dining room.

The room had several additional faces; Teddy Lupin was there as well as George and Angelina Weasely and even Neville was there. The room quieted once Harry and James entered.

"Everybody, this is Sirius James Potter, my son." He said proudly.

"Hi." James said waving his hand shyly. At once Mrs. Weasely, Ginny and Angelina came swooping down on James to introduce themselves and exclaim on how much he looked like his father.

The men stayed back allowing their wives fawn over James and clapping Harry on the back.

As the dinner began James started to warm up to everyone and Scorpius and him were attached to the hip with Sophie Malfoy following them around and cheering at whatever they did.

The dessert of treacle tart was now long forgotten and many a play date had been set for the children as Harry helped Kreacher tidy up the mess from the party (they insisted on giving gifts to James to make up for lost time).

"Master, I think Kreacher can do it by himself now." Kreacher said as Harry's eyes began to droop again.

"Thank you Kreacher. I'm sorry about the mess; I didn't think there would be gifts and what-not." Harry said sleepily.

"It is no problem to me, sir." Kreacher said as he led Harry to his bedroom. "Goodnight, Master Harry."

"Good night, Kreacher." Harry mumbled before dropping himself onto his bed, not even bothering to take his glasses off.

Harry felt he had just barely laid down to sleep when he was forcefully awakened by James's hands pushing him urgently.

"Dad! Dad, wake up!" James shouted.

"James, what is it?" Harry said groggily, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

"It's mom! She's in my room!" James said excitedly.

"Who?" Harry said, suddenly wide awake, "Son, are you sure you weren't just dreaming?"

"No, she woke me up then hugged me. I told her to wait right there!" James said dragging Harry hurriedly to his room.

"Harry."

There she was, standing just at the bottom of the staircase. It was Hermione.

Harry's mouth was wide open, he couldn't believe his eyes. After so many years of no contact, there she was standing there plain as day.

"Mom, where are you going?" James said, breaking the silence. "You said you would wait right there, in my room."

"James, I—I'm sorry, I can't." Hermione said her voice breaking. "I have to go."

As she turned to leave, Harry found his voice again.

"No!" he shouted, his voice reverberating throughout the house.

"Stay" he said more quietly, but his voice carried out loudly. It was not a command, it wasn't even a plea; it was more of a statement. But beneath that statement were hidden so many questions, most of which he did not want an answer to.

Harry saw the indecision in Hermione's eyes and added, "If not for me, then for James." He pleaded trying to get her to look him in the eye.

Suddenly Hermione raised her gaze towards him and their eyes met for the first time in seven years.

The air was thick with waiting silence; seven years worth of emotions weaved through the awkwardness, only adding to the tension.

"James, it's way past your bedtime. Let's get you to bed." Harry said, finally tearing his gaze away from the woman he loved.

"But, what about mom?" James asked not moving from the spot he was standing in.

"James, I'm not going to ask you again. Just please go to bed." Harry said gently but with firmness that James understood. James kissed Harry on the cheek and bade him goodnight.

Hermione watched in awe at how well James had taken to Harry and how well Harry handled him. James shot one last pleading look at his mother before retreating back to his bedroom; it nearly broke her heart all over again.

And then there were two. Harry descended the steps and Hermione realized that he went right past her. She looked around to see where he was going and he motioned to his study which was a little way off the dining room.

Hermione followed him mutely and he didn't say a word either.

But before they even reached past the dining room, Harry turned on her.

"Why?" he asked simply.

"Why? I'm pretty sure you know why I left Harry." Hermione said, angry that he seemed to have forgotten.

"Yes, I know. But why bring James to me now? Why even keep him from me in the first place?" Harry asked not the least bit affected by Hermione's tone.

Hermione's grew softer at this; it was almost as if she was pleading her case.

"Harry, James is seven years old. You know as well as I do that that's when magic starts to show. I hoped against all hope that maybe he wouldn't be a wizard----"

"You what?! How could you hope that? He's our son Hermione!" Harry said angrily. "How could you ever want to deprive our son of his heritage?"

"It's not like that! Harry, I was happy. We were happy. After I left you, I couldn't do anything!" Hermione said.

"You could have come back." Harry said still angry.

"No, you don't understand. Once I disapparated from this place I couldn't go back. I wanted to but I couldn't. If death eaters showed up, then and there I wouldn't have been able to raise my wand to defend myself." Hermione said with tears splashing down in front of her.

Harry shook his head in disbelief.

"But you still stayed away?" he asked quietly.

"I figured it was a chance to move on and start a new life. Harry, please, I didn't know how to even begin to tell James about the life I left behind. How could I? I took him away from it and I lost my magic as well."

"How did you get here?" Harry asked they were now both sitting with their backs to the opposite sides of the hallway.

"I don't know. It felt like I was apparating. I didn't know what I was doing I just knew that James needed me." Hermione said evenly.

"Then you haven't lost your magic." Harry said standing up and offering his hand to Hermione. "It's going to be morning soon, you sleep in our old room and I'll kip on the couch."

"Harry, I can't stay." Hermione said taking his hand and letting him help her up.

"I would prefer not distressing James. He's only been here for less than two days and he won't stand to lose you again so soon. We'll figure something out by and by." Harry said decisively, letting go of her hand before he could get used to it back in his.

"What about my things?" Hermione asked as they went up the stairs.

"Kreacher will get them for you. Make sure you give instructions a little loud, he's gone past the age we agreed for him to retire and he's as stubborn as hell." Harry said, suppressing the yawn that just barely escaped his lips.

Hermione thanked Harry and went into the room without another word.

Once Hermione entered the room and closed the door she gave a sigh of relief. Being that close to Harry and not touching him was more draining than anything she had ever felt. She felt like a little school girl trying desperately not to look at her crush, but failing all the same.

Oh, how she missed him. She banged her head on the door trying to stop the flood of memories coming into her brain.

"Hermione, I've got some draught of peace in the cupboard if you're having trouble sleeping." Harry said from the opposite side of the door.

Hermione jumped a little before replying.

"It's alright Harry, thank you." She said praying that he wouldn't walk through that door but at the same time hoping that he would come in and sweep her up in his arms where even after seven years of separation she knew she would still belong.

**(A/N: so what do you think? ******** I know I've been horrible about updating but I hope this chapter makes up for that! Now be a dear and press the shiny purple button at the bottom of the screen. :D Please and thank you!)**


	4. Chapter 4

**My Eyes, Her Eyes**

**Hey guys! Thanks for hanging on. This chapter is shorter than the previous ones but, I dunno, it reveals a lot more about what Harry has been up tothese past seven years. It's kinda fast, which I don't like but it's the best I can come up with without ending the story right here right now. :)) I'm not sure whether or not it'll take me more time to write a new chapter but hopefully, less time. I know I've been really bad about reviewing but I did just finish my first year at Uni so I've been really, really busy. I haven't given up on any of my stories so please, please, please keep reading! :)  
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After seven long and agonizing years, Harry was once again at a loss as to what he should do. Because after those terrible years of loneliness, not only had he acquired a son, he had also had to deal with the return of his errant fiancé. For despite what the general public seemed to think, Harry James Potter was still very much engaged emotionally, legally and magically to Hermione Jane Granger.

Cursing the day he refused to release Hermione from their engagement unless she herself filed the request, Harry steeled himself for the confrontation he half-desired and half-dreaded. Last night he had lain awake on the couch in his study, willing himself not to feel the resentment and the bitterness that had been breeding in his heart for seven years.

Because for seven years, he had been living like a god-damned monk believing that the only reason Hermione hadn't come back was because she believed his lifestyle was exactly that of what the Daily Prophet reported, a lifestyle of drunkenness and debauchery. No—that wasn't true, that wasn't the only reason he considered. He went as far as giving up his job to prove to her that she mattered more than it did. But no, she hadn't come back when after being re-offered a position as Department Chair for Aurors – the highest position one could get as an auror – he still refused to become the workaholic he once was.

He only took cases if he was the only one who could possibly do anything about the situation—not that there had been many of those.

Eventually, after three years of waiting for her to come back, he gave up being an auror and took up teaching. Ironic that after tortuous months of inactivity he received a letter, and not just any letter, it was a Howler. And surprise of all surprises, it was from Professor Minerva McGonagall.

Despite their closeness while Harry was at school, Professor McGonagall was never one to meddle in her students' lives after graduation and so everyone who was present at that moment: Ron, Ginny, Draco and Luna, was more than a little shell-shocked by the informality and not just content of the howler.

Harry smiled a little at the outburst that had spurred him back into living for the months after quitting his job had been another dark period in his life.

He had turned into a shadow those months, allowing himself more time to wallow in the misery of being left. Looking to alcohol and memories as a way of comforting himself and reminding himself that at one point, he and Hermione were happy. And that they were in love – were being the operative word.

He went over the last few months with Hermione in his head. He was busy, and she was too! But, what had she been busy with? Harry furrowed his brow; he never really thought of the things that she had done to occupy her time in those months before she had left him. He had always assumed that she had been planning; planning for the day that she would leave him.

Shaking his head a little to clear those depressing thoughts from his head, he glanced at the clock on his mantle. It was half-past six in the morning, he stood up and made his way to James' bedroom, his son was apparently an early riser. Something he would have, and should have known, years and years ago.

"Mum, where's dad?" he heard James ask Hermione just as he was about to knock on his door.

"I don't know, James. He's probably off to the office already." Hermione said in a tired and somewhat bitter voice.

"But—he don't work in an office!" James protested.

"I suppose you say does not instead of do not, it's better grammar." Hermione corrected gently before addressing the issue of Harry again. "What do you mean he doesn't work in an office?"

"He said he stopped working as a wizard police ages ago! He's a teacher now." James declared, obviously a little put-out at his father's career choice.

"Hm." Was Hermione's only reply.

Harry waited to see if she would add anything before knocking three times then entering James' room.

"Good morning." He said barely looking at Hermione. He didn't notice her flinch at his obvious lack of enthusiasm to see her there.

"Dad!"

James flung himself into Harry's arms and started talking a mile a minute.

"Whoa, slow down son." Harry said affectionately, interrupting James' pleading about going to his play date with Scorpius. "How about we eat breakfast first before we head over to the Malfoy's?"

James nodded and wiggled down from Harry's embrace. "Come on mom! Let's eat! Kreacher promised me an Irish breakfast! I don't know what it is but it sounds tasty!"

Managing a weak smile at Hermione's look of horror mixed with hilarity that her son would be faced with such a daunting meal, Harry led the way to the kitchen.

Breakfast was not the awkward affair that Harry and Hermione had predicted it would be. James kept the conversation flowing with a never ending stream of questions directed to both his parents. Harry and Hermione exchanged little more than a "Pass the butter" Or "More coffee?"

The only downer throughout the meal was when James excitedly asked Hermione to come with him to the Malfoy residence.

"No." Harry said quickly and implacably, a little too quickly judging from the daggers shooting out of Hermione's eyes and the way James' face fell at his tone.

"You see," Harry explained in a gentler voice, "your Uncle Draco and Aunt Ginny have no idea that your mum is back, you wouldn't want to ruin the surprise would you?"

As Hermione excused herself to talk with Kreacher Harry sent James to get ready for his play date and waited ten minutes before going up to her.

"Hermione." He said, wishing his voice would be more business-like.

Hermione pivoted to face him, shocked at the tenderness in his voice. For a while as their gazes met, she thought his jade eyes had turned into warm velvet, but in a matter of two seconds they once again became shards of dark jade. "Yes?"

"Later, after I take James to the Malfoy's you and I are going to talk."

"About what?" Hermione said defiantly, raising her chin.

"About you leaving me and taking my son away from me among other things." He raised a hand to silence her mutinous protest and continued. "We will also talk about living arrangements for James. I refuse to let him be shuttled about between the two of us and I cannot and will not allow you to take him away from me again."

"Is that all?" she asked sardonically, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"No, that is not all!" He snapped "There is a great deal more to settle between us including the fact that you use conveniently 'forgetting' how to use magic as an excuse to keep my son away from me!"

As soon as the words flew out of Harry's mouth he immediately regretted them. No longer was Hermione's face rebellious, she looked positively stricken.

He instantly reached out to her, "Hermione, I –

"Just don't, Harry." She whispered. "Maybe I deserved that, your mistrust, I mean. But know this, I did leave you and I wronged both you and James by keeping you away from each other but I have never, _ever_, lied to you."

Harry watched her turn and walk away from him, the ache in his chest was excruciating. He couldn't let her walk away from him again; he had made that mistake one too many times.

He grabbed her from behind and said, in that tender tone that never failed to soften her in the past: "Hermione, love, I've missed you and I'm so, so, so unbelievably sorry."

Brokenly, she bowed her head and leaned into his arms and replied, "I know, me too, Harry. Me too."

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**Haha, sorry for ending it there but I think it's a good prelude to the next chapter, which is already mapped up in my head. :) So... review, review, **

**review!  
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	5. Chapter 5

**Talking to Empty Corridors is the First Sign of Madness…**

Harry rushed to the study where he knew Hermione and James were for their reading time, ridiculous, really. Who on earth would force a seven year old to read at the time almost exclusively reserved for afternoon playtime?

Well, Hermione would, of course. Not that James needed any forcing; he seemed to rather like it.

It wasn't as if Harry didn't enjoy a good read now and then, aside from Hermione's influence he was a teacher and there were loads to learn but Harry still preferred doing rather than reading about doing.

"_God that sounded wrong._" He thought to himself before he wheeled into the study.

Smirking a little over the inadvertently dirty turn his mind had turned, his expression didn't quite match the gravitas of his following statement.

"Hermione, James, I'm going to have to leave."

Hermione started to rise and a frown started to appear on her beautiful face but it was James' reaction that puzzled him the most.

His son turned to him with the most heartbreakingly crushed face Harry had ever seen on such a young face and said, "Was it something I did, dad?"

It took Harry a while to recover from that statement that he didn't realize the storm brewing on Hermione's face as he finally recovered enough to take James into his arms before the boy burst into tears.

Harry rubbed James' back consolingly and when his son had finally calmed down enough for Harry to know that James would understand what he was about to say.

"Don't be silly James! Of course I'm not _leaving_ leaving! I would never, could never, do that. I just meant to say that I'm going to have to go to Hogwarts for a couple of weeks—days." Harry changed the last word when he saw Hermione's incensed expression.

"I'm sorry I upset you, son."

"It's *sniff* okay, dad. It was silly *sniff* right?" James said starting to smile a bit.

"Extremely. After all this time how you could ever think that I would want to leave you and your mother… it's just not possible, love." Harry said rumpling James' hair.

"And you love the both of us right?" James said, looking for more confirmation on Harry's words.

"Yes, I do." Harry replied looking straight into James' eyes, knowing somehow that James needed to be reassured.

"And we'll be together forever?" James demanded, this last question being the one that mattered most.

"Together forever," Harry whispered with heart-stopping emotions but he wasn't looking into James' eyes anymore, he was looking into Hermione's.

Hermione's heart stopped and a blush started to form as she forgot the reason she was so angry at Harry.

"_Because his choice of words couldn't be any worse, and that stupid smirk on his face looked like he got some last night and because you wish you were the one he got it from,_" was her mind's instant reply to her momentary loss of memory.

Ignoring her mind, for the moment, Hermione let herself get drawn in to Harry's gaze. She allowed herself to unglue the book from her fingers and rise up while still holding Harry's emerald gaze.

"_Come on, Hermione! Don't be a coward. He's the father of your child! He just said that he loves you and you'll be together forever_!" she chided herself when her feet seemed unwilling to go anywhere near him.

The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, "Yes James… we both love you very much. And if you want, then we'll all be together."

Naked pain sliced across Harry's features and Hermione almost felt her hand sting as if she had slapped him.

"Did you hear that, daddy?" James said brightly as his father slowly rose up. "Mum wants to stay too!"

"Yeah, she does. I think for you she'd do anything." He said the last bit a little roughly, as a jibe towards her, spiteful but he'd just had his heart broken in front of his son and by the mother of said son to boot!

Giving James one last bone-crushing hug Harry quickly strode out of the room without so much as a glance towards Hermione.

Hermione rushed after Harry, leaving James to get back to his reading. Thank goodness it was his favorite series otherwise he'd have followed her out for sure!

"Harry, wait. Please." She added the last bit when he seemed to not want to stop walking away.

Harry did stop but refused to meet her gaze, Harry instead decided that his ceiling needed his utmost attention.

"I need to explain." She said a bit desperately—breathlessly—sexily. He shook his head at the direction of his thoughts. Merlin! She was driving him mad!

"No, don't shake your head resolutely as if you know what I'm going to say!" Hermioe pleaded. "Please, I need you to understand where I'm coming from and—I…"

"I get it, Hermione," Harry said with his jaw half-clenched, the words were painful but he needed to hear them, needed to say them that he would finally give up. "You're not interested in me. You're only interest is James and his happiness."

Tears sprung to Hermione's eyes as she heard the resoluteness, the finality in his voice. He believed that. He really, truly believed every word that just came out of his mouth. She had to do something.

"Two months we've been living together again, a month and a half since we've started sleeping in the same bed and yet nothing. I don't know what I was expecting but I know I was wrong to expect in the first place. I—I'm sorry." Harry said wishing to be anywhere but there at that very moment, in that very place and position.

"It's partly your fault, you know." Harry said taking advantage of her silence to voice out questions he was always too afraid to ask her.

"It was you who suggested the whole sleeping in the same bed thing. You were the one who said we needed to work on 'us.' Of course I realize now that it's my fault and I shouldn't have taken us to mean us two but us as in James, but really Hermione! You know I've never been that smart to begin with! Did you really have to let me figure things out on my own? Are you listening to me?" Harry said, suddenly frustrated at her for once again letting him do all the talking and soul-baring.

But as he finally allowed himself to look at her, he realized why it seemed he was talking to a wall.

It was because he was talking to a wall, or rather, an empty corridor.

"Uhh, Hermione?" he called out a bit tentatively.

"In the bedroom," Came her blasé reply.

Feeling quite the fool, Harry trumped grumpily to the bedroom.

"You didn't even bother listening." He said not going into the room, brooding again.

"Of course I listened. I was using an extendable." Hermione replied holding up the flesh colored string, not that it mattered, because he wasn't looking at her AGAIN.

Although she seemed to catch his attention by mentioning the extendable ears, "You found them? Where?"

"_Men,_" she thought "_so easily distracted._"

"I didn't look for it, I used Accio. Long as your speech was, I doubt I'll ever be able to find anything without magic with the chaos you've been living in." She added the last bit as an afterthought. An afterthought that obviously went unheard.

"You were able to use magic? How?" Harry spluttered. The few times they had tried to practice, Hermione's magic seemed feeble and a little more than just rusty. It seemed as if her body just forgot she was magical. Not to mention the fact she was usually so exhausted after each attempt.

"It seemed easy enough, what with all the emotions flying around." _Not to mention you've just told me you loved me for the first time since before I left. _She added silently.

As Harry digested this bit of information he finally realized what she had been doing while he bared his soul. She was packing.

"Where in _bloody hell_ do you think you're going?!" Harry half-roared as he tried to remember the unpacking spell she had taught him years ago.

"Language, Harry! James is just down the hall!" Hermione reprimanded before explaining. "WE are going to Hogwarts together."

"We are?" Harry asked. This was not what he had expected. Not AT ALL what he had expected.

"But before that you're going to drop James off at the Burrow to stay with Molly and Arthur until we return."

"Why?" he finally managed to say.

"Because I do not want to see them just yet; I know they know that I'm back but I'm just not ready to face them yet. Ron and Luna were okay but I cannot imagine the verbal beating I'll get from Molly once she sees me." Hermione said, answering the wrong 'why.'

"No, why are we going to Hogwarts together? And why can't we bring James?" Harry clarified.

"Because you said we wouldn't take him to Hogwarts until he was eleven, I won't have you looking like a liar to your son, even if he will want you to break that particular promise. We're going to Hogwarts together because after you've sorted anything, we're going to get married." Hermione said snapping her suitcase closed.

Harry thought he'd just died.

**(AN: I am so sorry. This update is more than late—it's the great great great grand daughter of late. I hope you have not yet given up on this fic! I promise there's loads more in store! -someonestolemycookies)**


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